Page 35 of Snow White

“Why were you apologizing?” she asks, rubbing her thumbs against my cheeks.

“I just… I didn’t like how it ended.”

“Your brother doesn’t like me, I’m assuming?” she asks, dropping her hands from my face. My heart sinks. I am bereft without her touch.

“Actually, I think he does.”

“Oh?” She laughs.

“He kicked a princess out after I, um… I stood up for you,” I say.

Chapter Twenty-three

Azura

I’m shaking off the feeling of salt air on my skin from being in Eric’s presence when Snow finds me. I can still smell his briny scent burning my nose.

“Stood up for me?” I ask, raising a brow in confusion.

I don’t think I recall anyone ever doing that. Everyone feared me, as they should. I am known as theWicked Bitch,the monster parents teach their children to fear, the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Snow sees none of that. She only sees the good. It’s going to break her when she finds out the truth.

Why does the idea of hurting her hurt me?

Those glacial eyes that so intrigue me will crack and break when she discovers my plans for her father. They’ll turn dull and lifeless. She’ll be just like everyone else, broken by the world.

Broken by me.

She nods. “I told Eric that out of all the princesses, you were the only one who was nice to me. Then Veronica bickered with him, and he kicked her out.”

I’m using you, Snow. Why can’t you see that?

Snow is the key to the king. Before Eric’s powers masked his mind, I saw that my friendship with Snow was putting me far ahead of the rest of the competition. Yet, Snow is too pure to see my artifice.

I shrug at that, adding, “Hm, so he’s not as empty as I thought.”

He’s worse than empty. He’s a storm with skin.Eric is on the verge of imploding, and no one else seems to notice.

Snow lets out a breath. “I think you’d like him. He isn’t terrible.”

Eric isn’t terrible. He’s a mirror held up to my face. He’s what I would have been if I had a loving family, a doting father, and a warm mother. If I’d been chosen to be a Vessel, Dark Magic wouldn’t have been a part of my life. But, even if things were different and everything in the world was provided to me, I would still have a hole in my heart. I hate Eric for showing me that. I hate how alike Eric and I are.

I scoff at Snow. “He has a giant hole inside.”

Right in the middle, just like me. Snow has never noticed because she thinks the best of everyone.

“No, he doesn’t,” she says, her lush bottom lip sticking out and her brows furrowing stubbornly.

“You don’t see it, do you?” I murmur.

Snow huffs, the smell of frosted apples escalating in the room. “No.”

I draw a circle on my chest, right over my heart. “Big hole right here.”

Just like me.

Just like Snow will have when she finds out the truth. I’ll break her.

Snow steps closer and takes my hand, pressing my palm against her chest. I have to stop myself from moaning at the feel of her lush curves beneath my touch. “What about me?”

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